


Insecurities: Your Kiss, My Lips

by FiccinDylan



Series: Insecurities [2]
Category: Sterek - Fandom, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Insecurity, M/M, Misunderstandings, Pining Derek, multiple stereks - Freeform, y'all I barely know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-30 02:42:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11454318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiccinDylan/pseuds/FiccinDylan
Summary: If there’s anything to have in common with Derek that he’ll instantly be on board with, it’s loving Stiles.  So he doesn’t mind when he finds Stiles with one of the doppelgangers in some forgotten corner, mouthing at each other and letting their hands roam around in explicit ministration.They’re solid, Derek and Stiles.  They know they’ve been given an amazing opportunity and even in the midst of the Sterek soup they’ve been wading in, Derek belongs to Stiles and Stiles belongs to Derek.  So when Derek bristles upon seeing Stiles kissing his counterpart, he's not entirely sure why he’s so bothered by it.He just is.





	Insecurities: Your Kiss, My Lips

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so have you ever had a headcanon that you keep meaning to write down and by the time you get to it, it's so big and grand and developed that you know there's absolutely no way you're going to write it? WELCOME TO MY HEAD!
> 
> It's called the Pocketfull of Stereks verse in which a bunch of Stereks show up in Stiles and Derek's home ala In Any Version of Reality by @alisvolatpropiis with the added twist of later our Stiles and Derek find a way to travel to the different universes to the other pairs. 
> 
> When I eventually put it all together it's going to be really fun, but until then... have this! In this one we meet Baroque!Sterek which is Barry and Baroque Derek, Alpha Stiles and Omega Derek, Pack Dad/Mom Sterek and Mountain Derek and Genim
> 
> I hope it's not too confusing, lol! Please ask if you have any questions? Idk, I like it, but I know it's a bit of a mess. Thanks!

Derek knows.

Well, he _gets_ it... he _does_. This place they’re in requires an exploration. He can’t possibly be expected to see all these different variations of his anchor and not want to investigate, evaluate. He can’t be exposed to so many versions of _his_ and not want to touch… kiss… explore…. more.

Stiles has made it clear to him that he can. He knows Derek can’t ignore the coy and familiar grins that Genim throws his way. He wouldn’t want the wolf to turn a blind eye on the longing and desire that sometimes rakes up and down his body, causing him to turn and lock focus with Barry’s eyes. Derek can’t be expected to turn away when Barry unashamedly opens his shirt and reveals a pair of small, firm breasts, with puffed out nipples that tantalize Derek’s eyes, as he imagines how they’ll feel on his tongue.

Because even though Derek has his own Stiles, in this place that they’ve found, he has these Stileses too. When he sees them, the familiarity of _Stiles_ is the first thing that hits him and the acknowledgment that these are also _his_ are only plusses.

It’s not always a direct correlation and Derek suspects he likes that best. The Stiles that is closest to his Stiles (except for when he’s pregnant) - Pack Mom Stiles, they call him - doesn’t really care for Derek that much. Well, that’s not true, they love each other very much, but Pack Mom Stiles belongs to Pack Dad Derek and that’s who Derek has more of the kinship with. He’ll slip into their world and kiss Pack Mom Stiles hello before falling into Pack Dad Derek’s arms and being carried to their bed. Sometimes Pack Mom Stiles will join them, sometimes he won’t, but there’s no love lost, just not a connection outside the Stiles/Derek of it all.

Derek and the one they call Barry (short for Baroque Stiles, since he’s time travelled from that age), get along great, but are more like experimenting college roommates than lovers. Even Derek and Alpha Stiles are close, though Alpha Stiles intimidates him more than he would like to admit. Again, not in a bad way, and they’ve had a lot fun as Derek works out his feelings about the 6’2” muscled alpha who can throw him around like a ragdoll, it’s just… a lot to take in.

Stiles has had much the same experience though he’s taken to the other Stiles more affably. When they found this place, Stiles seemed to be drawn to the one that goes by Genim. When Genim was in their home, he was pregnant and instantly insulted by Stiles’ insinuation that what inhabited his uterus was a “food baby”. Derek thinks that Stiles fell in love instantly when Genim cursed him out and then called his real name stupid. Stiles balked that they had the same name and Genim replied that they didn’t.

Stiles’ instant and gleefully curious turn enchanted Genim and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Genim naturally had that effect on people which he’d chalked up to his male omega status. It was strange feeling the same kind of natural congeniality sweep over him, and from just an ordinary human. Genim saw his own characteristics rested on Stiles like a blank slate. The things he’d chalked up to simply being a product of his presentation were in fact just things that made him likable and relatable. Even things that Stiles considered to be flaws. Genim was older and wiser and made it his mission to show Stiles what Derek attempted daily: his inner beauty.

Which, if there’s anything to have in common with Derek that he’ll instantly be on board with, it’s loving Stiles. So he doesn’t mind when he finds the two doppelgangers in some forgotten corner, mouthing at each other and letting their hands roam around in explicit ministration. Derek loves to find them in their bed, watching the flush of Stiles’ body as Genim’s lips glide along his skin whispering compliments about his allure, his beauty both inside and out. And afterwards, when Stiles comes and falls into a slumber, Derek and Genim will share a look exchanging thanks for the permission of trying with the gratitude of a job well done.

They’re solid, Derek and Stiles. They know they’ve been given an amazing opportunity and even in the midst of the Sterek soup they’ve been wading in, Derek belongs to Stiles and Stiles belongs to Derek. So Derek is not entirely sure why he’s been bothered lately. It should be a silly thing. Genim’s mate -Mountain Derek, aptly named since he resembles a wily mountain lion, but with a large scruffy beard, a long, wild mane and dark hair over just about every inch of his body- is the most extreme form of pre-Stiles Derek that Derek himself has ever encountered.

When they met him, he was gruff, with a hard exterior, locking away every vulnerability. He and Genim were true mates, having met only when Genim’s heat carried him to Derek’s cabin, and Derek showed up, and implanted their first child in him at the very start of their lives together. If you asked Genim he would say that he loved his Derek, most especially his wolf, but he wasn’t sure how much he liked him. They’d had 3 more children since then and Genim and Derek seemed to float along, waiting for the next thing to happen.

Of course, this wouldn’t fly for Stiles, who made it his mission to tear down every wall Mountain Derek had built up, an in the process show Genim why he should want to, why he shouldn’t be afraid to demand more. Mountain Derek was of course completely flummoxed by this mouthy human who yelled at him in one breath, and then held him tightly and petted him in the next. This mere human that could bring him to his knees and demand that he express his love for his mate and wouldn’t leave until he did. Sometimes Mountain Derek would look at Derek with a look that Derek himself knew all too well, _“You deal with this everyday? And you love it?”_ and Derek would always grin and nod, watching the scene play out before him, watching the other version of himself do what they all did best, give in to Stiles. Do anything he wanted because at the end of the day you knew Stiles knows what’s best for you, and wants nothing but that for you.

This was the contradiction of the young man in some ways to Derek. Where Stiles openly had his own insecurities and self doubts, he never had trouble believing in the love Derek has for him, and that inherent seedling spread to all of the Dereks. And the fact that it was met with the same acceptance _from_ the other Dereks just allowed the transition to be more seamless. When Mountain Derek wolfs out in rage at Genim pressing one of his pressure points, he deflates instantly when Stiles gets in his face telling him to stop being an asshole and understand why Genim is testing him. Mountain Derek knows that this is a different version of his own Stiles, but it’s still _Stiles_ , and Derek -any of them- knows that means he loves him.

So it’s not unusual when Derek sometimes sees his Stiles and Mountain Derek wrapped up in one another, kissing sweetly as Stiles lovingly chides the elder wolf for not understanding his own worth, for not fully realizing the gift he has in their Genim. Sometimes Derek will walk into their lovemaking and join Genim at the table where a steaming cup of tea is waiting. They’ll talk, maybe watch for a bit, maybe Genim will follow Derek back to theirs and take his pleasure in this younger, more open version of his wolf, or maybe they’ll just hold each other and watch TV until Stiles gets back. Whatever it is, there’s never a jealousy, in fact, it’s the opposite. It’s the satiated feeling of having your needs constantly met. Which is why lately, Derek hasn’t understood what’s been plaguing him.

One of Derek’s most favorite parts about Stiles is his mouth. Sinfully delicious, plump and constantly open, Stiles’ mouth is the thing of fantasies. His wicked cupid’s bow is the perfect holding spot for Derek’s come as it drips down his face. His bottom lip is plump and his mouth is wide and wet and hot. And whether occupied by his own tongue or his dick or even his asshole, Stiles’ mouth is the stuff of legends. All of the Stiles have it, despite their differences. Genim is small, shorter than Stiles and soft and thin. Barry is about the same height as Stiles and built like an equestrian; solid, sleek and long. Even Alpha Stiles in all of his hyper masculinity and his impressive height and breadth possesses that hot sweet mouth that Derek just can’t get enough of. Derek can’t help his grin when he thinks of it, and he loves the long nights when he can get his mouth on Stiles’ mouth and they just spend their time, languidly kissing and lavishing each other with praise, egging each other to the height of their pleasure and bracing against each other for the fall.

Derek feels closest to Stiles in these times, and he’s never hurt when he sees Stiles and Genim kissing in their way. It’s different enough, usually more punctuated with soft ribbing and jokes, each peck punctuated with a laugh or snarky reply. One day Stiles and Genim are making out on the couch and Derek overhears Stiles calling Genim “a slut ass bitch” followed by Genim laughing and replying that’s not what Stiles’ asshole said a half hour ago. “I asked it directly and it told me to come closer and say it again and when I did, it shut right up.” Stiles replied with what Derek was sure was an eyeroll and “Well my asshole is a fucking slut too, so I guess we’re just fucking in love then!” Derek smiled when he heard Genim laugh again and Stiles yelp undoubtedly after being pinched. Then the two melted into one another again.

They have a rapport that works for them and it’s a cheekiness that Stiles needs so Derek doesn’t mind it, loves it in fact. He loves Stiles seeing the beauty of himself in these other versions of himself. He loves seeing Stiles with Barry, playing in his fascinated way with Barry’s breasts, as Barry just giggles and pets him. And he definitely loves it because Stiles is always so eager to include him, “Derek, check it out, he’s got a mole, right where I do!” and Derek always goes to investigate, sometimes gets a bit handsy, a bit mouthy, to both of the Stiles’ delight. He can’t be blamed, it’s a Stiles with tits, hell yeah he was gonna have fun with that.

Derek didn’t even mind Stiles with the other Dereks. Baroque Derek was soft, and sweet. He had long romance novel cover hair and enjoyed being pregnant so he was constantly knocked up. Oddly not by Barry, but rather the alpha they shared, though Barry and Derek were no less in love. Stiles found Baroque Derek to be mesmerizing and loved him when he was round with child and let him pet and kiss him. Derek noticed that the more confident Stiles was at handling Baroque Derek, the more he brought that firm strength back to their bedroom. He topped more, and was more confident in holding Derek’s hips in place while he took what he needed from the wolf.

There was Derek’s Derek- Pack Dad Derek, whom he instantly formed a kinship with. Pack Dad Derek and Stiles respect and love each other purely because one is a Derek and the other is a Stiles. They’re the same age which is interesting to think about, and Derek wonders if the age thing is why Pack Dad Derek and Stiles maintain more of a brotherly love vibe to them. They taunt and tease each other. Pack Dad Derek isn’t afraid to bottom and he’s just a little larger than Derek so he and Stiles wrestle a lot, promising that the winner gets to top. Most times they never get around to the actual fucking and that seems fine by them. Stiles is amused by Pack Dad Derek, but not enamoured, not the way he is with Mountain Derek.

Despite the initial awkwardness, Derek likes Mountain Derek, and loves the way he loves Stiles, understand the initial frustration that he felt and enjoys seeing the progress he’s making since he was so much like that at his and Stiles’ beginning. He understands the lessons that Stiles teaches Mountain Derek when they’re together intimately, but recently it’s that intimacy that’s been bugging him. Sometimes Stiles and Mountain Derek will make out for seemingly hours, never going beyond that, but just hole up somewhere and touch each other, caress each other, get lost in one another. Derek knows that Stiles searches in wonderment for signs of his Derek in this Derek, and that assuages his mood a little, but he can’t quite shake this… it’s not full on jealousy, not yet, but there’s an annoyance.

When he and Stiles kiss it’s always full of longing and need. When Derek watches Mountain Derek and Stiles kiss, there’s an easy laziness to it, like they’d be content to just lie there with the other’s tongue in their mouths. And Derek can’t even claim to really want that, but what he wants is the easiness that leads to that. If one thing can be said in the openness of their relationship it’s that Derek and Stiles are more than enough for each other. The other Dereks and other Stileses are simply extras… _accessories of the heart.._ additional ventricles that make them stronger and more desirable to each other. So when Derek sees Stiles seemingly taking something from Mountain Derek that he hasn’t asked his Derek for first… he wonders.

He obsesses more like. He pines and he broods and he’s beginning to piss Stiles off in the process. He can tell, the human has never been short with his words.

“Derek, what the fuck’s gotten in your ass?! Why are you being so bitchy!?” Stiles learned early on that the direct approach was best for Derek, and Derek begrudgingly agreed. He didn’t like being upset and the more beating around the bush they did, the more it prolonged the feeling. Had he been in a slightly better place, he would have just talked with Stiles about it earlier, but he’d allowed himself to regress a bit. Thankfully Stiles was always one step ahead, pulling Derek forward.

“I miss kissing!” He says, and it comes out more exasperated and whiny than he intends, but it’s the truth.

“What?” Stiles deadpans. His own expressive eyebrows demanding explanation beyond what Derek’s words are ready to produce, but he knows Stiles will always appreciate the effort.

“I… okay, I’m not jealous, I promise I’m not!” The instant switch he sees flip in Stiles’ mind causes him to panic. Shit, that was a shit way to start this conversation and he knew it as soon as it came out of his mouth. Stiles has checked in with him constantly to make sure the arrangement they have with the other stereks was good with Derek, whether he wanted it to stop or if it needed to be amended. Derek didn’t have a problem, that’s not what this was and now he was fucking it up.

“Shit! That’s not what I meant! Don’t worry, just let me-” Derek holds his arms out to Stiles who has backed his way across the bed and keeps opening his mouth to say something. Derek wishes he wouldn’t. “Please, don’t say anything let me-” Derek is flustered and Stiles can see that more than anything. Even though Derek knows he’s getting worried, Stiles simply closes his mouth, nods and waits for Derek to get his shit together.

“I love you, and I love the Dereks and the other Stiles. This isn’t about them, okay? That’s… everything is okay, alright?” Derek looks at Stiles to affirm, but Stiles’ brow is still furrowed in confusion. His breath is more shallow and Derek can hear his heartbeat pick up swiftly. “Come on, Stiles, calm down, that just came out wrong.”

“Well, Der, this is a crazy assed situation we’re in!” Stiles finally explodes. “There’s omegas and alphas and time traveling and ridiculously burly versions of me and one of me has a vagina and we know this because our collective penises have touched and been inside each other and when this started I told you to speak now or forever hold your peace because I knew I was gonna fall in love and if you pull the plug I’ll still say yes, but I’m bringing Genim with me, so fucking deal with that!” Stiles stops and inhales roughly, refilling his lungs, “What the fuck is going on, Derek!?”

Derek tries not to smirk, but it still earns him a pillow to the face.

“Honey wolf-” Derek bristles, but mostly just out of habit by now. He holds the pillow and watches his mate carefully. Stiles sighs, “If… if you really want to stop, I will. Even… even with… you know what, not with Genim, if I could write his name in on our marriage certificate I would, it’s too late, he’s part of the package, but otherwise, I’m with you. I just, I’d like to know why, I thought this was a good experience for us.” Stiles has taken the pillow from Derek’s lap and replaced it with himself, wrapping his arms around the wolf’s neck and tracing the ‘V’ in the nape of his hair.

Stiles is facing the window and is sat a little bit above Derek so his eyes seem to illuminate in the early afternoon sun. He’s so beautiful, all of the Stiles are. He’s held Genim like this, and Barry, he’s had his ankles by his ears when he’s seen it in Alpha Stiles’ eyes, but the fact remains, there’s something magical about their luminescence. About the way they take the light and shine it into the normally nocturnal creature.

“I’m sorry, Stiles, I don’t have a problem with it, I really don’t. Like I said, that’s not what this is about.” Derek pleads, his expression making more of a case than his words. Stiles finally sees the truth in his eyes so he nods and runs the back of his hand along the soft bristles on Derek’s jaw.

“Then what is it, Bear? You know you can tell me anything.”

And Derek knew, of course he knew. He trusted Stiles implicitly, it was just the fact that he still didn’t understand his own feelings about the matter that bugged him. But he knew if anyone could help him figure it out, it was Stiles.

“I found myself feeling… like I said, not jealous, but strange when I see you and Genim’s Derek making out.” Derek was embarrassed, he’s sure his cheeks are red and normally he would avert his gaze, but he needed to see Stiles’ reaction. Currently it was placid, and waiting. Derek wasn’t sure what to do with that. “I’ve seen you two fucking before and it doesn’t phase me, shit, it turns me on. And you know Genim and I fool around-”

“He says you’re what he thinks he would have had if he’d actually met Mountain Derek earlier. I told him, you’re an ongoing work in progress.” Stiles says. There’s more under the words that Derek can’t quite parse out yet. Derek is too busy wondering if Stiles knew this conversation was coming, if he had time to prepare for it.

“It’s just that, I love kissing you and we do, a lot, but you seem like you do it more with him and I can’t figure out… why don’t you kiss me more? I guess? I don’t know. We never really went into the whole thing of another pair replacing something we can’t give, and I don’t even know if that’s what this is, but like, you’re not kissing him so much because I don’t kiss you enough, are you? Shit, I’m not making any sen-” Derek’s rambles are cut off by the soft plush of Stiles’ lips to his. It’s a sweet kiss, a simple one, just on the right side of a smooch. Stiles pulls back and frames Derek’s face in his hands, shaking his head incredulously at his wolf.

“So the easy answer is… I’m obsessed with you.” Derek’s left brow shoots up and Stiles laughs, smoothing it down and kissing Derek lightly over his cheeks, his jaw, each eyelid and the middle of his brow. “Derek, our kissing leads to fucking and ain’t nobody got time for all of that.”

Derek huffs, “that’s not true! I’ve kissed you several times without it leading to fucking.”

“Oh, my bad, those were just the times one of our dicks ended up in the other’s mouth, my bad.” Stiles says sarcastically, pinching Derek’s neck. Derek swats at his hand.

“Stiles, what are you talking about? And that doesn’t have anything to do with-”

“Not everything, but it does have a lot to do with it, smoochy wolf, _oww_!” Stiles’ yelps as Derek pinches his ass. He laughs rubbing the area gently, rolling his eyes as Derek tracks the movement. “Derek, seriously think about the last time we made out that didn’t result in intercourse.”

“We went to the fair! We had the kids with us, there’s no way we could have fucked.”

“And yet we did, we packed the kids on the tilt-o-whirl and you dragged me behind the mirror maze trailer. Everyone on the ferris wheel saw us!”

Derek opens his mouth to protest, but now realizes why they got all those dirty looks after.

“I thought they just didn’t like gay people.”

“So while I love kissing you, I’ve come to the conclusion that you and I can’t make out without coming, and then there are naps and cleanup and food to consider and it’s a large chunk of my day. When I make out with Mountain Derek, I don’t have that urgency to be balls deep inside of him, or vice versa. Honestly, his cock is too fucking big, I don’t know how Genim takes that _and_ a knot. I know he’s built for it, but holy shit.”

Derek knows better than to feel slighted by that, Mountain Derek’s cock is formidable at best, he doesn’t get how he walks with that thing.

“But anyway that’s the short, easy answer. Do you want the other answer?”

Derek looks at Stiles, he’d thought maybe that would be the end of it and they could challenge themselves to kissing without fucking and maybe fail a lot. He nods all the same, knowing it can wait. Whatever Stiles wanted to tell him seemed important. Stiles was more still now, gently running his hands through the hair of Derek’s chest that showed outside of his v-neck.

“He doesn’t kiss Genim a lot.” he says, a bit of consternation in his voice. “Derek’s… a wolf. He’d sooner lick your face clean than kiss you, and Genim is actually okay with that, but he’s still human, you know?” Derek understood. Mountain Derek’s connection to his wolf was interesting. Extremely developed to the point where each had a distinct personality. Mountain Derek’s wolf was overwhelmed by Genim. It loved him intensely and Genim returned that love and desire. After knotting him during their first heat together, when the fever had died just enough for Genim to process what happened, Genim had cried, deep bellows, scared and unsure of what he’d just stumbled into. Derek stood up from his bed, making Genim’s wails, louder and more pronounced at the lack of contact, something to ground him. The next thing he knew, Genim’s face was being licked by a long raspy tongue and a soft, heavy heat covered his body as Derek settled his wolf on top of him. Genim felt the connection instantly to the animal and a peace covered him.

That same peace went away when Derek shifted back into a human and that’s always been the bane of their relationship.

“Genim and Derek don’t need to work on communication because they’ve never had it to begin with. Derek’s fucking jealous of his own damned wolf and he’s too stubborn to try to do better because he’s scared of Genim rejecting him. And Genim does because Derek is pushing him away and Genim doesn’t know how to read Derek, doesn’t get that being pushed away means Derek wants him closer. This sound familiar at all?”

Derek nods slowly. When he’d first seen Stiles he did everything in his power to push him away. He wanted him, badly, but he was such a mess himself, he couldn’t see him doing that to Stiles, didn’t think it was fair. And.. he was scared of being rejected. The difference is that while Genim pulled away, Stiles tethered Derek and pulled him until they were nose to nose, chest to chest, heart to heart.

“They had the kids, so they used that as distraction and a way to pass the time. There were enough times they got along and of course whenever Derek was in wolf form it was happy for both of them, but Genim is a human and he needs that too, you know? No matter how much he acts like he doesn’t, he does, he craves it. Sometimes he clings to me and I can tell Derek has slipped. It’s like he’s forgotten everything we’ve talked about.” Stiles says this part with a far-a-way determination in his eyes.

“Okay, so Genim and Derek don’t communicate, what does… why does-” Derek is used to these conversations with Stiles, and can usually keep up, but Stiles is starting to get restless and fidgety in Derek’s lap. He doesn’t seem to notice, and Derek’s sure as hell not going to stop him, but he also wants to make sure he doesn’t miss what Stiles is telling him.

“That’s it, right there.” Stiles says simply, finally allowing a small smile to grace his face. “You’ve grown- _we’ve_ grown a lot, Der. We talk and you listen to me and I listen to you, and it works because it’s what we both want, but Genim and his Derek, they… they’re still so scared of each other. So unsure, and it’s been so long that they think they can’t change, but I know they can. I know they can be in love.”

Derek nods and Stiles sighs.

“Long story short, Derek just isn’t a natural kisser. So if Genim wants kisses, he has to demand them from Derek, but he doesn’t. He’s fallen into a mold where he thinks he can’t have what he wants so he doesn’t ask. We tease each other, but it’s so he fights back, you know? So he’s not afraid to piss someone off, to be strong in his beliefs. And Derek, shit, he needs to learn to fucking kiss his mate. He’s such a good kisser! He knows Genim wants it and he just won’t do it, and he _wants_ to, but he’s still got this weird thing with trying to show up his wolf, I don’t fucking know anymore.

“So I make Derek kiss me. And when he sees Genim, and lets him walk by without kissing him, I let him kiss me, and hope that maybe next time he’ll get the courage to do it right. And I really like kissing him. Hell, I really like kissing, you know that.”

Derek kisses him them, as though asking for a demonstration and Stiles complies, deepening the kiss as he pushes his tongue into Derek’s mouth, caressing Derek’s own tongue with his. And maybe Stiles is onto something because the next thing Derek knows he’s got Stiles on his back and his own pants are missing and Stiles is biting at his neck and his hand is in Stiles’ pants, his fingers flitting over his asshole.

And as he’s thrusting into Stiles he briefly sees Genim in his peripheral vision, and just as soon he’s gone, but Derek’s thankful because it means someone is checking in on the kids (they call him Uncle Genim and he’s introduced as Stiles’ cousin). And later, while Stiles is sleeping, Derek walks out and see Genim in the kitchen washing dishes. He helps him finish and walks him home. When they arrive, Mountain Derek looks up from where he’s sitting at the table. Genim is watching him and walking towards him purposefully, so much so that Mountain Derek actually rises from his seat.

When he’s close, just within arm’s distance, Genim takes a step in and rubs his cheek along Mountain Derek’s. He receives a nuzzle from the older wolf in return and he begins to walk away. Mountain Derek reaches down and grabs his hand.

“Umm… are you hungry? I made a stew with that deer.”

“You made a stew?” Genim asks, surprised, but not unkindly. Mountain Derek nods.

“Yes, I can make you a bowl.”

“Yeah, that’d be nice, thank you.”

Mountain Derek leans forward, like he’s going for a kiss, but stops. Genim looks at his lips drapes his hand on Derek’s cheek, scratching his nails through the wolf’s beard. He doesn’t move forward, it’s up to Derek to close the gap.

He doesn’t. He simply nods and turns away, grabbing a small bowl to scoop the stew into.

Derek stands at the doorway, silent until Mountain Derek notices him.

“You want a bowl, Derek? Is Stiles with you?”

Derek shakes his head. “Uhh, no thanks, Stiles is napping and then we may go out, or we might come by later. See you guys!” He says congenially before turning to leave. He turns back at the last minute and walks to the table where Genim is sitting, thoughts preoccupied. Derek leans into him and kisses him sweetly on the lips. He clears his throat and breaks away from Genim’s surprised facade before throwing a quick look towards Mountain Derek who stands there holding Genim’s bowl of stew.

He turns without another word and leaves, repeating to himself what he knows to be true: _Stiles would have wanted me to… Stiles would have wanted me to…_

He goes back to his home and checks in on Stiles who is mostly awake and lying on the bed, limbs flailed to each corner of the bed with a satisfied grin on his face.

“I told you, bear. We can’t keep our dicks out of each other, and it’s all your hot mouth’s fault. We have kids, we have to figure out how to beat this. Are they even still in the house? Have they been fed?”

Derek chuckles and jumps into the air, landing on top of Stiles in a large heap, knocking the breath from the boy.

“Genim took care of the kids, they’re fine, but we should probably eat. Derek made stew. “

“Derek _made_ stew?” Stiles asks incredulously. Derek nods.

“Yeah, smells good, wanna go get some? I can call Pack Dad and we can play some cards?”

“Sounds good.” Stiles says, leaning forward and pressing his forehead to Derek’s. Derek’s grin matches Stiles’ own when he pulls back. “I love you, bear.”

“I love you too. And dammit, we’re gonna keep trying this kissing without fucking thing until we get it right. Let’s start now.” Derek says with an exaggerated pucker. Stiles is up like a flash and scrambling off the bed.

“Derek, no! I’m so hungry!”

“C’mon, Stiles! I believe in us!” Derek says, pouting as he corners Stiles into a nook of their bedroom. Stiles grins and shrugs, throwing his arms around Derek’s shoulder and pressing his own pout into Derek’s.

“I believe in us too.”

They’ll get it one day.


End file.
